Motherhood of the Church

by Henri de Lubac

Priests are called "Father" and the Church is called Mother. Our "Holy Mother the Church" is a traditional way of speaking among Catholics. But are these outdated, sentimental expressions? Or do they express a deep insight into the nature of the Church as a whole and of ordained ministry in relation to the Church? Is there a genuine theological meaning to the traditional reference to the Church as "she"? Henri de Lubac addresses such questions with his usual profound erudition. He deeply mines the Christian tradition in examining the Motherhood of the Church. Focusing on the Church's Motherhood allows this great theologian to unite two profound the Church is the Bride of Christ and the Church is Christ's Mystical Body. As de Lubac shows, the Church cannot be rightly considered apart from Christ and his saving work, both of which should be understood in light of the mystery of the Church's maternity.

Genres: Theology, Religion

363 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Henri-Marie de Lubac, SJ (1896-1991) was a French Jesuit priest who became a Cardinal of the Catholic Church, and is considered to be one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century. His writings and doctrinal research played a key role in the shaping of the Second Vatican Council.

De Lubac became a faculty member at Catholic Faculties of Theology of Lyons, where he taught history of religions until 1961. His pupils included Jean Daniélou and Hans Urs von Balthasar. De Lubac was created cardinal deacon by Pope John Paul II on February 2, 1983 and received the red biretta and the deaconry of S. Maria in Domnica, February 2, 1983. He died on September 4, 1991, Paris and is buried in a tomb of the Society of Jesus at the Vaugirard cemetery in Paris.

Reviews

[Agustin Estrada · Rating 5 out of 5]

El pequeño libro es en realidad un extracto de la célebre "Meditación sobre la Igleisa" (Madrid: Ediciones Encuentro, 1988), y funciona perfectamente como introducción al pensamiento del autor. Su intuición central es profundamente católica y, al mismo tiempo, muy actual: la fe cristiana no se vive en solitario, sino dentro de un cuerpo vivo que nos precede y nos sostiene, la Iglesia. Como resume una de las ideas del texto, la fe “nace, crece y se alimenta en un cuerpo vivo”, no en el aislamiento individual.

La edición —perteneciente a la colección Revolcaderos— está muy cuidada: breve, elegante y bien pensada para lectores que quizá no se acercarían fácilmente a un tratado teológico más extenso. Precisamente por eso el libro logra algo difícil: condensar una intuición teológica profunda en muy pocas páginas.

Es una lectura corta, pero con mucho peso espiritual e intelectual e ideal para acercarse a Lubac, pero sobre todo para redescubrir la belleza de pensar la Iglesia no como una institución abstracta, sino como una verdadera madre en la fe. Cien por ciento recomendable - AE